1. Severe weather damage left a Wyoming park in rough shape in 2014. Now years later, officials announced this week it will spend more than $1.5 million to redevelop Ideal Park.
About 20 percent will be funded by a grant and the rest will be generated by a Parks and Recreation Millage. Plans include an accessible playground, improved parking, viewing stations for Buck Creek, and a basketball court.
The park will also receive upgrades to the walking and bike trails.
Construction is scheduled to begin in the Spring. The grand opening is scheduled for next June.
2. One West Michigan school district will be making updates to its security systems thanks to a grant from Michigan State Police.
Kalamazoo Public Schools is receiving more than $440,000 to pay for the upgrades. The district plans to purchase things like digital radios capable of communicating to all schools at once, and a campus-wide P.A. system, as well as security cameras.
MSP's Competitive School Safety Grant Program awarded multiple grants to districts across the state.
The projects will be completed by June of 2020.
3. For the first time in history, an openly gay, black female has been elected Mayor in the City of Chicago.
The vote, coming during a special runoff election to replace Rahm Emmanuel.
Lori Lightfoot is 56-years-old and served as an assistant U.S. attorney before entering private practice.
Lightfoot promises to rid City Hall of corruption and help low-income and working-class people she says have been "left behind and ignored" by Chicago's political ruling class.
Chicago has become the largest U.S. city to elect a black woman as mayor. Lightfoot joins seven other black women currently serving as mayor in major U.S. cities, including Atlanta and New Orleans.
4. Chunky or smooth peanut butter? The answer you pick could give an insight into your personality.
According to a survey by OnePoll, you can tell a lot about a person just by knowing how they like their peanut butter.
If a person chooses the classic smooth peanut butter they're more likely to be introverted, early for work, hesitant, and could even get more speeding tickets.
People who like a little something extra and pick chunky tends to be more extroverted, late for work, have more confidence, and are generally bigger risk-takers.
Settling the debate, the survey found more Americans prefer smooth over chunky peanut butter, and about 22 percent say they like both.
5. More fitness fanatics are turning to pickle juice for a post-workout detox.
Athletes have been drinking the brine to sooth muscle cramps for years, but now it's become a popular fad in the health industry.
Dietitians say the vinegar in pickle juice may help with rapid pain relief. It's also rich in antioxidants and vitamins C and E to help boost your immune system.
So if you can stand the sour taste, grab a jar full of juice and sip your way to better health.
